


Dirty Dishes

by SerenPedac



Series: A sprinkling of leaves [1]
Category: The Wayhaven Chronicles (Interactive Fiction)
Genre: Dancing, F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-22
Updated: 2020-11-22
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:55:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,440
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27673658
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SerenPedac/pseuds/SerenPedac
Summary: Despite Unit Bravo monitoring her every step, Dinah tries to lead her life as usual and succeeds perhaps a little too well.
Relationships: Detective & Farah Hauville, Female Detective/Nathaniel "Nate" Sewell
Series: A sprinkling of leaves [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2023595
Comments: 23
Kudos: 21





	1. Chapter 1

Humming the first few notes of the song she knows will be next on the playlist, Dinah starts drying the glasses lined up beside the sink. Doing dishes isn’t her favourite way to spend the evening—especially not when she is a few days behind like today—but with some music on, it’s not such a terrible chore. The nodding of her head turns into full-on silly dancing when the chorus comes up, tea towel swooping through the air. Her curls whirl when she spins on her toes and with a flourish, she places another glass on the shelf. Or that was the plan before the realisation of what, or rather who, she just saw sinks in and she stops halfway. A glow creeps up her cheeks as she turns to face the living room. 

Legs dangling over the armrest of one of the comfy chairs, Farah is grinning widely at her. On the other side of the room, Nate is sitting on the sofa, a book resting in his hands. No broad grin on his face, but there’s a flicker of amusement in those dark eyes nonetheless. Oh, dear. She bites her lip to keep from grimacing. How could she forget the two members of Unit Bravo that are here to watch over her tonight? They could have taken that task a little less literally. The thought of Nate following her every movement has her cheeks burn even hotter.

“Please, don’t mind us,” Nate says. “We were reading.” 

“We were not.” Ignoring Nate’s frown, Farah pulls her legs underneath her. “Detective, your dance moves need some serious work.”

Despite her embarrassment, Dinah can’t help but laugh. Here she is, being babysat (by vampires) because there is a murderer out there who may be after her (and who also happens to be a vampire) and she gets told to improve her _dance skills_? Not exactly the kind of situation she would have expected to find herself in, say, a month or two ago. Since going back to normal is no option—and she isn’t sure she would want that anyway—she had better make the best out of it.

“Let me guess, you can help with that?” Farah nods vigorously. “All right, I’d love for you to show me, but these dishes need to be done first.”

“Deal!” Farah jumps up and rushes past Dinah. 

A series of splashing and clanking noises follows and Dinah shares a smile with Nate, shrugging slightly when he raises an eyebrow in question: _I asked earlier if you needed any help_. He did volunteer to help, but several times now she nearly dropped some piece of earthenware because she seems to forget how to function whenever he is nearby. She would much prefer to keep her things intact, even if she quite likes being around him. More than just likes, perhaps.

He suddenly tenses, his eyes widening in alarm. A gasp sounds from behind Dinah and she whirls around.

“Don’t worry, got it.” Holding one of the plates, Farah sweeps up her arm in triumph and when her hand stops, the plate continues its arch through the air, before crashing against the wall. Shards rain down, the green fragments forming a mosaic of chaos on the white-tiled kitchen floor. So far for keeping her plates in one piece, but it’s hard to be angry with Farah when she is blinking owlishly at the mess, water dripping from her still raised hand.

“Shit! Sorry about that.”

Dinah winks at her. “I think your dishwashing moves need some serious work.”

Farah’s grin is back within seconds. “Good thing you’re a patient teacher, right, Detective?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Later that evening
> 
> F: “So, if we put this chair to the side, we should have enough space.”  
> D: “I thought it would be more convenient to use my bedroom.” _Or any other place that isn’t right in front of Nate._  
>  F: “Your bedroom is tiny.”  
> D: “I suppose so, but Nate—”  
> F: “Oh, I’m sure Nate doesn’t mind.”  
> N: “Farah.”  
> F: “ Fine.” Sighs. “I can’t teach someone who’s all tensed up anyway.”


	2. Chapter 2

_Toes pointed, Dinah glides to her right, stops and places her left foot forward. Her hip follows then rocks back again. She closes her eyes, can almost hear Farah’s voice counting every step (“Two and three and fooour and— No, don’t step on the one.”) and this time, Dinah’s every movement feels fluid, natural. If only she had a dancing partner (Farah laughs. “And who would you like that to be? Wait, let me guess.”). Lifting her hand above her head, she makes a turn and when she opens her eyes, a familiar smile greets her. A smile that makes her heart skip a beat._ Him.

_Nate holds out his hand in silent invitation, the sultry notes of the music lingering between them for a long moment. The first few buttons of his shirt are undone, exposing smooth skin and how she would like to— No, better not to think of that, not if she wants to dance with him first. First? That means there will be a later and—_

_She forces herself to look up, only to find Nate watching her with a knowing look. His eyes hold hers, smouldering, and heat stirs inside her in response. She takes his hand or he takes hers and together they dance. Her hips sway this way and that, seducing. She steps closer, close enough to feel the warmth of his body, but never to touch. Steps away again, pulling him with her. Tempt and tease and sway and—_

_She gasps when he spins her, her feet stepping faster than she can think. The world blurs and she fears she might stumble, but then he is there, steadying her._

_“You’re not supposed to do that,” she laughs breathlessly._

_“I know.” His lips curve in a smile and she might just float away, his grasp the only thing holding her here._

_The music slows around them, all but forgotten as she finds herself lost in his gaze. Tentatively, she reaches up, the stubble on his jaw coarse against her fingers. He leans into her touch, his eyes soft, focused on her and her alone. The gentle pressure of his hand on her back, asking. Without hesitation, she closes the small space between them._ Yes, yes, she wants. 

_“Nate,” she whispers, though she isn’t quite sure what she intended to say._

_It doesn’t matter, for all words are lost anyway when he lowers his head, his nose brushing hers and his breath stroking her skin._

_A beeping sound, far-away, as if muffled by layers and layers of cloth, reaches her._

With a groan, Dinah slams in the direction of her alarm. _Beep, beep, beep._ Slams again and this time it stops. Cruel, that is what this is—her alarm, work, everything. She buries her head in her pillow, willing the feeling of him to come back. Just a little longer, until his lips touch hers. The pillow makes for a poor replacement, all fuzzy and suffocating and is that a hair tickling her nose? With something between snort and laughter, she emerges from the pillow to curl into her blanket, pulling it tight against her.

With the news that Unit Bravo will be officially moving into their new base in Wayhaven in the coming week, it is no surprise that she dreamed of them, and of one member in particular. Agent Nathaniel—Nate—Sewell. She mouths his name and there’s that fluttering feeling in her chest again. She likes him. Likes him a lot more than would be reasonable. They have only spent a short time together, after all, and yet the thought of him fills her with all kinds of feelings. Silly feelings, wonderful feelings.

Feelings that might be as fleeting as her dream.

She hugs her blanket tighter against the sudden chill washing over her. There was something between them, she is sure about that (more or less), but will there still be? Maybe she’s a fool for dreaming of someone who will be her colleague, there are so many ways that could go wrong, but she’s an even bigger fool for thinking about potential break-ups before even before even being in a relationship. Would she want to be? Would he? He might have forgotten all about her. All right, that last part seems unlikely; nearly bleeding to death in front of him must have made _some_ impression. And there is nothing she can do about his feelings (or hers for that matter), so there are two options: she can either spend the coming days worrying about something beyond her control or smiling like a fool (and with Tina teasing her relentlessly). 

The numbers on her alarm glare red at her and she glares back. When they don’t relent, she closes her eyes, choosing to ignore reality just a little longer.

_The warm weight of his hands on her waist, holding her close. The hairs at the nape of his neck so very soft between her fingers. Her name on his lips. His mouth…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dinah is late for work that day. Totally worth it.


End file.
